1911 questions.

[richardraw316]

hi guys, i bought myself a fixer upper 1911.
she has problems.
the bullet slams into the lower lipp of the barrel, everytime.
so hard that it sets the bullet back into the case, so bad as to be dangerous to fire after chambering the same round twice. both ramps have been polished. i think it needs a barrel, but i really dont know, well anything about 1911s, this is a learning thing for me. it is i think a 4 inch bull barrel.
what does wilson ramp mean? i saw this while looking for barrels.
any advise would be very helpful.

 

[iChokePeople]

You've tried different known-good magazines, I assume? And you're using factory ball ammo? Relax, you can start playing with all of the other stuff later, I'm just trying to help troubleshoot.

 

[CB45]

Many variables here. Magazines, bullet profile, caliber, factory ammo?, reloads?, oal, etc.

Most likely a new barrel is not needed.

A Wilson/Nowlin ramp cut references the feed ramp cut. Clark/Para is similar. Sounds like yours is traditional since you mentioned two feed ramps.

 

[halfmileharry]

I'd start with a known good mag, 230gr round nose ball ammo and see what happens from there.
I've seen some "ramp" jobs that over cut the feed ramp on the frame and had to be replaced.
Brand of gun and model?
Mag type and ammo type?

 

[Warsaw214]

Recommend you find a 1911 expert near you... unless you have a lot of time and money to go down the wrong rabbit whole. 1911 is a long learning curve of knowledge. You will most likely have to wait 4-6 weeks to have them get to it... Quick rule of thumb, if they are good they are in demand

 

[Warsaw214]

Recommend Jerry Kuhnhausen 1911 shop manuals to get a solid insight on the art of working on a 1911

 

[JetGirl]

Stop.

Before you do one one-thousandth's whacking on that piece, slap a Wilson Combat magazine in there and try that! The followers are shaped different (not flat) and changes the angle of the round...more "up".
The WC mags have fixed some nose-dive issues for me in shorter barrel/Hollow point interactions...
Can't hurt to try before hacking at things.

 

[iChokePeople]

Stop.

Before you do one one-thousandth's whacking on that piece, slap a Wilson Combat magazine in there and try that! The followers are shaped different (not flat) and changes the angle of the round...more "up".
The WC mags have fixed some nose-dive issues for me in shorter barrel/Hollow point interactions...
Can't hurt to try before hacking at things.

Don't listen to the monkey -- WHACK IT. With a BIG hammer.

 

[JetGirl]

Here's what I mean:

On the far right, you've got a Kimber mag. Flat and not too dissimilar from many other standard 1911 mag followers...ACT's, Colt's, Springfield's, etc.

In the middle is a Wilson Combat 47D. This is the one with a concave follower...meaning there's a dip scooped out deeper the farther back from the nose (plus the whole follower is tilted upward at the front). This drops the back of the round down angling the nose up and makes it strip off the mag with the nose already higher than if it was coming off a flat follower.

The far left mag is a Wilson Combat 47OXC-HV. This follower is convex, meaning there's a hump much like a rounded speed bump down the center, but the follower is not tilted like a 47D. In compact 1911s, sometimes hollow points or anything flatter than RN hardball gets hung up when forced to make that jump from mag to chamber...they end up nosing right into the feed ramp and getting stuck there.
This design bumps the round up higher than the bottom throat of the ramp and strips the round off the mag right into the chamber, lessening the amount of contact between ramp and bullet nose (creating less chance of nose dives into the feed ramp).

 

[iChokePeople]

^^ Blah, blah, blah. Whack it. Whack it NOW.

 

[JoP]

You know what isn't picky about mags... my glock.

But seriously, props on jumping into the platform. I would +1 literally anything jet girl says about a 1911.

If you really want to start whacking things though, please video it.

 

[iChokePeople]

You know what isn't picky about mags... my glock.

Funny how tolerances measured in furlongs will affect things like that.

If you really want to start whacking things though, please video it.

+1

 

[JetGirl]

I would +1 literally anything jet girl says

Sooo getting that T-shirt printed up to hand out... HAHAHA!

 

[PGRChaplain]

The Jet Girl Knows All....................

 

[richardraw316]

wow, lots of responses, thank you all.

 

[richardraw316]

ok here is the whole story.
i bought this knowing full well it might be hopeless.
i wanted to learn about 1911s.
This gun has been talked about on this forum already.
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/handguns/235656-regent_r350cr_1911_a.html
i am trying to learn as much as possible and hopefully at end of this long road, have a working 1911 that i can enjoy.
worst case is i have more knowledge and a great looking paper weight.

 

[60Driver]

As much as I love the "WHACK IT NOW and take a video" idea with the above info I can and some hopefully helpful information.

From what it sounds like the frame ramp angel is not cut at the correct 31.5 degrees. It is more than likely too steep and or not deep enough so that when the round is striped by the slide coming forward it is jammed into the frame ramp causing bullet setback and or physically jamming.

ALL 1911 magazines tend to "nose dive" on the first round out of a fully load loaded magazine with each subsequent being presented at a slightly higher angle. I am guessing that this gun will jam more often with the first round out of a fully loaded 8 rounder.

SO how do you fix it???

Unfortunately this may be not so easy and it sounds like a smith already gave it the "college try".

OPTION 1: Have the frame ramp recut by a highly competent smith. Problem is that IF it is too steep, by decreasing the angle you move the frame ramp forward and remove the REQUIRED 1/32 ish gap between the frame ramp and the Barrel feed ramp. If this is the case a GOOD smith would have to weld up the frame or machine an insert into it. Good news is this might not be as expensive as it sounds.

OPTION 2: TRY an EGW "higher" mag catch. This will present the rounds from the magazine higher on the frame ramp and MAY help with feeding issues. Also try Quality 7 round mags. Reference the following SERIOUS info and analysis on 1911 magazines.

1911 Magazine Analysis: Feeding Time

OPTION 3: Machine the frame for an integral feed ramp barrel (WILSON/NOWLIN or PARA/CLARK as mentioned). This will theoretically be able to correct angle issue.

Welcome to wild world of 1911's. And you are learning why folks tend to shell out $ for high end guns. Bottom line is that they require precise fitting to be truly reliable. Up side is that a well tuned 1911 is a VERY capable sidearm.

And if it does not work out like ICHOKE said WHACK IT and post the video!

 

[bigkahunasix]

Get a Wilson mag, a fresh recoil spring and a couple different types of hardball- apply parts and attempt to fire. If it functions then on to new improvements, if not then find a GOOD gunsmith (not a parts salesman) and have it diagnosed properly.

PM Jetgirl and I a thank you when complete.

 

[caneman]

Jet Girl is starting you out right. Most 1911 problems are at least accentuated by small or large magazine variences.

 

[halfmileharry]

I don['t know how to be nice sometimes or Politically nice so I'll say it like I'm thinking it.
I've been carrying 1911s for over 40 years and NEVER had problems until I started playing with the cheaper import copies.
1911s are great guns if you get a good gun to start with. Cheap guns aren't always cheap fixes.
IF you want a good gun buy a good gun to start with.
I don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings but that's the way I see it.